LIFE
Sarinda Unamboowe
In conversation with Ruwandi Perera
Alma maters
Royal College and Ithaca College (New York)
Family members
Two sons, girlfriend and sister
Favourite day of the week
Can’t pick one – all days are good
Three must-haves
My cameras, a vehicle to take me where I want to go and a credit card that works
Three ‘would like to haves’
The time to travel to all the places I want to visit, the patience to suffer through boring conversations and continued good health.
Mantra to unwind
I don’t believe in work-life balance but rather a ‘life balance’ where work has to be a part of it
How to maintain this life balance
We shouldn’t feel such a high level of self-importance about where we work… I take all the leave I have – a practice upheld since I started working
Favourite colour
Blue
Loves to drive
Land Rovers
Happy place
Home with my family and two boxers (Tyson and Nangi)
Cook or foodie
Foodie – I’m too lazy and greedy to cook
Favourite food
All types of food especially Eastern cuisine – Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Malaysian, Singaporean and Korean barbecue!
Favourite drinks
Whisky and gin
Three hobbies
Photography, sports (cycling and CrossFit) and binge watching TV series – I love Narcos and Twin Peaks
Pet peeves
Nosey, judgemental and interfering people
Used to take part in
Cricket, rugby and athletics
Likes to watch
Rugby – I love the All Blacks, track and field athletics, boxing and UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
The glass is half full or half empty
Half full – I’m an eternal optimist
Most unforgettable events
The birth of my sons
Most forgettable event
I have already forgotten it!
Favourite local destination
The Northern Province: there is so much beauty in a rugged and dry way – and there are so many migratory birds to photograph
Favourite overseas destinations
Jungle destinations (such as Africa, Brazil and India)
Ideal romantic date
A nice drink and chat in a quiet outdoorsy place with only starlight – and no disturbance from ambient lighting (perhaps with a fire and ideally, a campsite)
Three items on the bucket list for the next six months
Photograph the snow leopard, tour Southern Tanzania and run 10 km non-stop!
Work or play after retirement
I don’t want to retire but would like to tilt the ‘work-play balance’ from 70:30 to 50:50
Best place to live in
Sri Lanka – I can’t think of anywhere else
Obsessed with
Shoes and taking the perfect photograph
Purpose in life
To leave the world slightly better off than when I came into it
Happiness in a few words
Anything that makes me smile from the inside
Favourite song
There are so many (Purple Rain by Prince, My Way by Frank Sinatra and Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley)
Favourite movie
Scarface
Best actor
It’s a tie between Al Pacino and Sir Anthony Hopkins
Best singer
I like everyone from Paul McCartney and John Lennon to The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger and James Taylor.
Favourite local sportsperson
Muttiah Muralitharan – for his tenacity in the face of adversity, unbelievable enthusiasm and pure genius.
Favourite international sportsperson
Muhammad Ali
Favourite international civil servant
Nelson Mandela – for enduring such hardship but coming out of it with so much love
Colombo in a few words
I used to find it tacky and busy but now there’s an evolving culture – and I’m falling in love with it again
Sri Lanka in one word
Home
Role model
I didn’t have a role model but the likes of Deshamanya Ken Balendra, Ajit Gunewardene, Vijaya Malalasekera and Nihal Fernando influenced me.
Most used words or phrases
‘Don’t overthink’ and ‘let’s get on with it’
Yourself in one word
Optimistic
Motto in life
Suck the marrow out of life – I even named my blog The Bone Marrow Diaries
